Beauport is a Designer's Dream House, with 40 Rooms

Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House

75 Eastern Point Boulevard

Gloucester, MA 01930

https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/beauport-sleeper-mccann-house/

I recently took a tour of this mansion, overlooking Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts and saw 25 of the 40 rooms! Henry David Sleeper, a son of a wealthy Bostonian family, built it between 1907-1934, constantly adding on rooms until he ran out of land. He became one of America's first professional interior designers. Isabella Stewart Gardner was a friend and visited Beauport. This mansion, was used as a summer cottage, is filled with all kinds of collections, antiques, colorful hooked rugs, colored glass, beautiful furniture, new and old. Each room had a theme, no two rooms were the same, and each bedroom had a mirror and a bathroom. There were 19 objects depicting George Washington, 10 skylights, and from historic homes around New England, purchases were made to buy windows and frames, doors as well as wood paneling.

We were in a full tour group of 12, so I was limited to what I could take as photos. Often I tried to be the last or first into a room, so I could take pictures without anybody in them. I did manage to take portions of 5 dining rooms and 5 bedrooms, all unique.

Shortly after Mr. Sleeper's death, the McCann family purchased the mansion, and made very few changes to the Sleeper furnishings and holdings. Mrs. McCann was the eldest daughter of F. W. Woolworth!                                                                       

150 pieces of Amber glass in the central hall.

Five Dining Rooms are shown below.

Octagon table in the Octagon Dining room. (above and  two below)

The Golden Step Dining Room. (above and below)

My favorite room, had white walls, furniture pained sea-foam green, and gold spoons in the cabinet. The color is quite off, due to the sun, I believe.

1930's Kitchen.

Same Dining room, opposite views.

Five bedrooms are below.

My favorite bed room, with floral print curtains and wallpaper.

Mr. Sleeper's bedroom, called the "Strawberry Hill" room, was inspired by a fantasy house near London by the same name.

The wallpaper is the same design that is in the Paul Revere's house.

Views of the harbor are in many rooms.

Circular Library.

This room above and below was called the Chinese Trade Room. The walls were papered with hand-painted Chinese wallpaper made in 1780. We stood behind a rope and were unable to see everything in the room, but were able to see the lovely Waterford crystal chandelier hung above us.

From the New York Times, August 16, 1981 is an interesting article, The Pleasures of Beauport, Authentic and Eccentric. Melissa D. Berry knew about this article and shared it with me.

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My reason is because since November 2017 to May 2018, I received no comments, but upon investigating I found that I had indeed received 167 legitimate ones and 1,000 were in the spam folder. Google Blogger had made some changes that I was unaware of. Please be aware that I do not know who reads my blog, I may know who subscribes, but that is all.

Yankee Magazine, See Where it is Published

Yankee Magazine Publishing Co.

Dublin, New Hampshire

Many New Englanders are familiar with the Old Farmer's Almanac and the Yankee Magazine. Both are usually sold at every magazine stand in grocery and pharmacy stores. For as long as I have been blogging (almost nine years), I have always wanted to get inside the building, take photos to share with you. However, since I am usually passing through the town on the weekend, and they are closed, I knew it would have to be a work day. We (husband and I) finally visited this past Friday.

When I first became a subscriber, the first section I looked at was the one devoted to genealogy queries. The queries listed who they were looking for and had abbreviated information, the writer's address or phone number, so the reader could respond. Years later, people could respond to email. Now, that wonderful feature is no longer.

This town of less than 2,000 people is charming and has the burial place of my 5th great grandmother, Elizabeth Johnson Sanger, in the 1751 town cemetery.

For more information, I'm sharing two websites about this company.

https://newengland.com/yankee-magazine/

https://ypi.com/history

Across the small "green" facing the offices and the 1882 town hall.

Below are the office photos I took. As you can see the room is for advertising their products, items such as books covering many topics, journals, a puzzle, and a wide assortment of magazines. I believe the most popular magazines are Yankee (began 1935) and Old Farmer's Almanac (began 1934). The room I was in is the oldest, and they added on several times. I had hoped to see some old original magazines or equipment from their early days, maybe a mini-museum, but that wasn't the case.

There was a receptionist, a temp, at the desk, and I asked if I could take photos, and told my reason why. She got her boss, which was good since I'm having problems with my subscription. So I explained the issue with her, and she told me she'd notify the Florida office. It was my understanding that the 85 employees work in this building or Manchester. It was a full house when we visited, I got the last parking space.

In the back is a charming memorial garden.

Dublin Town Hall 1882

Route 101

Dublin Public Library

Across the street from the Yankee building, and next to the town hall.

I have never been inside because it is always closed when I pass through. Even the day I visited Yankee Magazine, a Friday, the library was closed. The library had a rather large addition added to it, so I'm hopeful they kept some of the original library.